indeed all that are converted from other Religions unto Christianity, must first believe and make Profeffion of that Faith, before they can be admitted unto the Sacrament of Baptism; and doubtless many Thousands were by the Apostles converted, not only to the Chriftian Profession, but to a Christian and holy Life, before they were baptized. We well know, that in the Primitive Times very many did delay their Baptifm till their declining Age, out of an erroneous Opinion, that all voluntary Sins after Baptifm were unpardonable; and yet it would be very uncharitable to judge, that none of these were fanctified, and inwardly renewed by the Holy Ghoft. Yea, and perhaps to beat down this misgrounded Practice, some on the other Hand held, that Baptifm was of abfolute and indifpenfable Neceffity to eternal Life; which was to cure a Mistake in Practice, by a moft grievous Mistake in Doctrine; yet this their Opinion they grounded on John 3. 5. Except a Man be born of Water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: Whence they inferred, that Baptifm was as abfolutely neceffary to eternal Life, as the Renovation of the Soul by Divine Grace; fo that they pass'd a peremptory Doom of Exclusion from the Kingdom of Hea

ven upon all, both Infants and Adult, that died without the Seal of this Inftitution, although it were through no Default of their own, but by infuperable Neceffity; only they excepted fuch as died Martyrs, whose Baptism, by their own Blood, they thought might serve instead of Baptism by Water. Thus, as St. Cyprian in one of his Epistles relates it, was determined by an African Council; to which Determination he alfo gives his Aflent. And St. Auftin called therefore, Durus Pater Infantum ) feems, in many Paflages of his Works, to be thus rigid in giving Sentence against all who died unbaptized; although probably afterwards the Severity of his Opinion relented. For, in his fourth Book against Donatus, he tells us, That not only fuffering for the Name of Chrift may fupply the Want of Baptifm, Sed etiam Fides, Converfioq; Cordis, fi fortè ad celebrandum Myfterium Baptifmi in anguftiis temporum fuccurri non poteft;"but Faith alfo, and the Con"verfion of the Heart to God, if through "unavoidable Neceffity we cannot cele"brate the Sacrament of Baptifm." But whofoever were the Authors or Maintainers of this Opinion, it is certainly unwarrantable, and uncharitable, and contrary to the Judgment of the higher Primitive

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Times;

Times; who, if they had thought that no Perfon could poffibly be fanctified or faved without Baptism, would not certainly have ftinted the Administration of it to their Dies Baptifmatum, two special Seafons of the Year, Eafter and Whitsunday nor would many of them have deferr'd their own Baptifm to the End of their Days: For how could they be sure that no Cafualty fhould in the mean Time intervene, and cut off all Opportunities of receiving it? Baptifm then is not of such abfolute Neceffity as a Means, that none can be faved without it; neither doth our Saviour in those Words fo affert it: For we must distinguish between being inevitably deprived of the Opportunity of Baptifm, and a wilful Contempt of it. And of this latter muft the Words be underftood. He that contemns being born again of Baptifm, and out of that Contempt finally neglects it, he fhall never enter into the Kingdom of God. But for others, who are neceffarily depriv'd of that Ordinance, the Want of it fhall not in the leaft prejudice their Salvation; for it is a stated Rule, Non abfentia, fed contemptus Sacramentorum reum facit.

Fourthly,

Fourthly, The 4th and laft Pofition is this, That Baptifm is an ordinary Means appointed by Christ for the real and effectual Sanctification of his Church: For this is the great End of all Gofpel-Ordinances, that through them might be conveyed that Grace which might purify the Heart, and cleanse the Life. And though I do not affirm, that Baptifm doth effect this in all to whom it is rightly applied, (not in Infants, who while fuch are incapable of that Work; nor in many Adult Perfons, who, though baptized, may remain still in the Gall of Bitterness, and Bond of Iniquity; yet this I do affirm and maintain, that there is no Reason to doubt the Salvation of any, who, by this holy Ordinance, are confecrated unto God, until by their actual and wilful Sinning they thruft away from them thofe Benefits which God intends them by it. And indeed, who fo doth but seriously confider the Vows that are upon him, and the folemn Engagements he hath made to be the Lord's, will find a preffing Force upon his Soul, unless he be lost to all Modesty and Ingenuity, urging him really to fulfil what he hath fo juftly and fo facredly promifed. No Argument can be more. prevalent to enforce an holy Life, than when

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when the Spirit of God fhall bring home to our Confiderations the Oath that we have taken to be God's, and to oppose all the Enemies that oppofe his Glory, and our Salvation. When we fhall be reminded, that as long as we continue in a State of Sin, we live in Perjury, having given our most serious Promise to God to yield Obedience to his Will and Laws, and to live as becomes his Servants and Soldiers.

I beseech you therefore, O Christians! confider seriously with your felves, what Bonds and Obligation lies upon you, that you have vowed and covenanted to be the Lord's; a Vow that is binding upon your Souls, and which, if you do not fulfil, will bind you over to everlasting Condemnation. Sit down, and think with your felves, what you ftand obliged to, and either renounce your wicked Life, or renounce your Baptifm. Deal ingenuously, refcind the Deed, and profefs to all the World, that you look not upon your felves as lifted under Chrift's Banner, nor engaged to be his Servants and Soldiers, or elfe live as becomes Chriftians. What shall your Names be in the Register of Chrift, and yet your Souls be in the Hands of the Devil? Will you carry his Enfign